Actions, Softer Than Words
by crazysockmonkeys
Summary: Niles comes home one evening feeling more depressed than he's felt in a long time, but guess who's there to make him feel absolutely wonderful again? For iloveromance's birthday! One-shot.


**Author's note: Happy birthday, Andrea! I'm so sorry this is late and that it's short, but I really hope you like it. Thank you so much for being a great friend!**

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It was on days like this that Niles was eternally glad to be married to Daphne. Things had gone terribly for him all day long.

One of his patients had openly insulted him today, saying that he was the worst excuse for a therapist he had ever met, and he had left saying that he would find a different one. Frasier had never shown up at Café Nervosa. His shoes and socks were still soaked from a dirty rain puddle he had accidentally stepped in, and it was likely the shoes were ruined now. On top of that, he had lots of work to do tonight, but all he wanted to do was spend time with his wife.

Niles opened the door to his apartment and there on the couch was Daphne, ready with a smile. Seeing her already lifted his spirits. She was so beautiful.

She stood up, planted a kiss on his cheek, and pulled him into a hug.

Niles felt wonderful inside of her embrace. Nothing could ever go wrong here.

He wrapped his arms around her middle and brought her into him as tightly as he could, burying his face into her neck and taking in her scent. He brought his lips to the soft skin on her neck and whispered her name tenderly.

Daphne felt her cheeks go hot. Any other time she might have done something about this feeling, but she could tell something was wrong with Niles. She put her hands on the side of his head and pulled him away from her neck, looking at him face to face. "Niles, what is it?"

"You're beautiful," was his only reply.

"Thank you," she said. "But I know something's wrong. Come and tell me about it."

She took his hand and led him to the couch. In the six months they had been married, this had never happened.

"Daphne," he said, leaning over and putting his head on her shoulder. "It hurts to speak of such things, my love."

"Certainly it can't be all that bad. Come on, let me be your psychiatrist for a little while," she said, smiling and she slipped her hand into his.

Niles sighed and sat up. "I feel like a failure of a man, a hopeless rejection of society. Look at me!" He said. "Even my shoes proclaim it." He leaned forward and took off his soaked shoes and socks.

"Darling, I'm afraid I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about."

He sighed miserably. "Everything went horrible today, Daphne. I lost a patient in the most agonizing way possible, and I stepped in a puddle of putrid water and destroyed these shoes. I have a lot of work to be finished tonight. Frasier never showed up at Café Nervosa, either."

"Those things don't seem all that bad," said Daphne, trying to cheer him up. "You lost a patient, but you have so many more! You've got lots of shoes, and you can meet Frasier for coffee tomorrow. Or you can call him and yell at him for it. And you'll get through all of that work. I can sit with you in your office if you'd like."

Niles smiled at her. "You make everything seem sweeter. I love you so much," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Do you feel better?"

"Not completely. But looking at your face gives me hope."

She smiled, and then she lie down and put her head in his lap. "Truly I am the luckiest man in the world," Niles said. These words were coming out of his mouth at a starling pace, but he didn't care. They were things he thought every day of his life. How he needed his Daphne.

However, Niles was sad for most of the night. He hadn't found an occasion to be said in a long time, and now it felt as if it all had rushed up on him. It was silly, really. The day was over now, and so were all of his troubles. He tried not to focus on all of the things that had happened that day, but they kept coming back up. Giving up, Niles finally let himself be depressed.

And he was until bedtime. Before Daphne turned off the lights, she looked at her husband. He usually took this time to read, but now he just stared at the ceiling, his eyes soft and sad. She switched off the light, got close to him and whispered, "Are you still down?"

"Yes, my love. But don't worry."

Slowly, she picked herself up and placed her upper body on his. Her legs followed and the rested on top of Niles'. His silk pajamas and her soft ones made no friction, but rather they slid off each other perfectly and Niles loved the way it felt. She put her head on his chest and her hands behind his neck and laid there, listening to him breathe. "Is that better?" She whispered.

"More than better," he got out.

"That's good. Go to sleep, Niles Crane."

For the first time all day, Niles felt completely relaxed. He ran his hand up and down Daphne's back, feeling the sweet material and letting it seep into him. He felt warm and almost as if he was in a trance. She made him feel wonderful, delightful, and unnaturally pleasant.

Her touch chased away all lingering thoughts. Her voice melted his deepest pain. Her scent filled him with love at every turn. The sight of her made him want to laugh with joy. The way it felt to kiss her…

Before he knew it, he had completely forgotten about the trivial matters that had littered his day. Being close to her, feeling her resting against him and placing her full trust in him had made all else fall away.

When he had come to her earlier, she had indeed helped him, but this was different. She wasn't telling him why he should feel better, she was _showing _him without even knowing it.

With a final burst of strength, he kissed her on the head, leaned back to his pillow and fell asleep.


End file.
